Fuel cell unit

ABSTRACT

In order to provide a fuel cell unit, comprising a housing, a substrate and an electrode disposed on an electrode side of the substrate, wherein the substrate is constructed in such away that it allows a gas from a gas compartment disposed on a gas compartment side of the substrate to pass through to the electrode, in which fuel cell unit the gas compartment disposed on the gas compartment side of the substrate is easily and reliably sealed in a gas-tight manner relative to a further gas compartment, it is proposed that the substrate comprises at least one substantially gas-tight zone, which extends from one surface of the substrate, through the substrate to an opposite surface of the substrate.

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in German Patent Application No. 101 35 333.2 of Jul. 19, 2001, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a fuel cell unit, which comprises a housing, a substrate and an electrode disposed on an electrode side of the substrate, wherein the substrate is constructed in such a way that it allows gas from a gas compartment disposed at the gas compartment side of the substrate to pass through to the electrode.

[0003] Such fuel cell units are known from prior art.

[0004] As a rule, a plurality of such fuel cell units are combined into a fuel cell stack, in which the fuel cell units are arranged successively along a stacking direction.

[0005] The electrode disposed on the electrode side of the substrate forms a component part of a cathode-anode-electrolyte unit, in which during operation of the fuel cell unit an electrochemical reaction takes place, in the course of which electrons are released at the anode of the CAE-unit and supplied via an external circuit to the cathode of the CAE-unit for the ionization of oxygen atoms. Contact plates disposed between the CAE-units of two successive fuel cell units are used to balance the charge between the cathode of the one fuel cell unit and the anode of the adjacent fuel cell unit in order to supply the electrons needed for ionization to the cathode. From continuous-edge contact plates of the fuel cell stack electric charges may be tapped in order to supply them to an external useful current circuit.

[0006] A difficult problem when manufacturing such fuel cell units is the provision of a gas-tight seal between the gas compartment, e.g. a combustion gas compartment, disposed on the gas compartment side of the substrate and a further gas compartment, e.g. an oxidant compartment, disposed on the side of the electrode remote from the substrate. further gas compartment, e.g. an oxidant compartment, disposed on the side of the electrode remote from the substrate.

[0007] The underlying object of the present invention is therefore to provide a fuel cell unit of the type described initially, in which the gas compartment disposed on the gas compartment side of the substrate is easily and reliably sealed off from a further gas compartment in a gas-tight manner.

[0008] In a fuel cell unit having the features of the preamble of claim 1, said object is achieved according to the invention in that the substrate comprises a substantially gas-tight zone, which extends from one surface of the substrate, through the substrate to an opposite surface of the substrate.

[0009] The solution according to the invention is therefore based on the concept of designing a sub-region of the otherwise gas-permeable substrate in such a way that it forms a substantially gas-tight barrier, which may serve as a component part of the seal separating the gas compartment, which is disposed on the gas compartment side of the substrate, from a further gas compartment.

[0010] In a preferred development of the invention, it is provided that the gas-tight zone of the substrate in a gas-tight manner adjoins the housing of the fuel cell unit. It is therefore possible to dispense with an additional sealing element, which would otherwise have to seal a sealing gap between the substrate and the housing.

[0011] In particular, it may be provided that the housing comprises a shaped sheet metal part and that the gas-tight zone of the substrate adjoins the shaped sheet metal part. Such a shaped sheet metal part may be manufactured by one or more non-cutting shaping operations, in particular by embossing or deep-drawing, from a substantially flat sheet metal blank. Said method of manufacture is inexpensive and suitable for large batch production.

[0012] The shaped sheet metal part may form e.g. a fluid-carrying element of the fuel cell unit, which element is used to carry a combustion gas or a gaseous oxidant through the fuel cell unit.

[0013] Alternatively or additionally it may be provided that the housing comprises housing parts produced by a cutting operation.

[0014] The gas-tight zone of the substrate, besides a sealing function, additionally performs a mechanical supporting function when in an advantageous manner it is provided that the gas-tight zone of the substrate is fixed to the housing.

[0015] In order easily and reliably to connect the gas-tight zone in a gas-tight manner to the housing, it is more advantageously provided that the gas-tight zone of the substrate is fixed to the housing by welding, preferably by laser welding, and/or by soldering, preferably by hard-soldering.

[0016] It may further be provided that the gas-tight zone of the substrate is formed during the process of welding and/or soldering to the housing.

[0017] In order to complete the sealing of the gas compartment, which is disposed at the gas compartment side of the substrate, relative to the further gas compartment, it may be provided that the fuel cell unit comprises a substantially gas-tight electrolyte disposed above the electrode and that the gas-tight zone of the substrate at its opposite side to the housing adjoins the electrolyte in a gas-tight manner. The electrolyte therefore, in addition to its electrochemical function as a component part of the CAE-unit, also performs a sealing function so that it is possible to dispense with an additional sealing element at the opposite side of the substrate to the housing, thereby simplifying manufacture of the fuel cell unit.

[0018] In order to achieve a particularly efficient and reliable sealing of the gas compartment, which is disposed on the gas compartment side of the substrate, relative to the further gas compartment, it may be provided that the fuel cell unit comprises a sealing region made of a setting compound, which in a gas-tight manner adjoins both the electrolyte, which extends as far as the gas-tight zone of the substrate, and the substrate and hence overlaps the outer edge of the electrolyte in a gas-tight manner.

[0019] Such a setting compound may comprise e.g. a glass solder, a metal solder or an inorganic paste, which hardens during manufacture of the fuel cell unit or during operation of the fuel cell unit.

[0020] A glass solder usable as a setting compound may be of a similar composition to a glass solder known from EP 0 907 215 A1, i.e. it may contain 11 to 13% by weight aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃), 10 to 14% by weight boric oxide (BO₂), approximately 5% by weight calcium oxide (CaO), 23 to 26% by weight barium oxide (BaO) and approximately 50% by weight silicon oxide (SiO₂).

[0021] Alternatively or in addition to an electrolyte extending as far as the gas-tight zone of the substrate, it may be provided that the fuel cell unit comprises a substantially gas-tight electrolyte disposed above the electrode and that the fuel cell unit further comprises a sealing region, which in a gas-tight manner adjoins the electrolyte and in a gas-tight manner adjoins the gas-tight zone of the substrate at its opposite side to the housing.

[0022] In particular, such a sealing region may comprise a substantially gas-tight setting compound, e.g. a glass solder, a metal solder or an inorganic paste, which hardens during manufacture or during operation of the fuel cell unit.

[0023] Manufacture of the gas-tight zone in the substrate is considerably facilitated when the gas-tight zone is formed in a precompressed region of the substrate. Such a region has a reduced porosity, with the result that the remaining pores and through-channels may be closed in a simple manner, e.g. by welding or soldering.

[0024] In order to be able to form a seal, which extends around the substrate, between the gas compartment disposed on the gas compartment side of the substrate and the further gas compartment, the gas-tight zone is preferably of an annular closed construction.

[0025] In particular, it may be provided that the gas-tight zone of the substrate encloses a gas-permeable region of the substrate.

[0026] In order to be able to utilize as large a region of the substrate as possible for the passage of gas to the electrode disposed on the electrode side of the substrate, it may be provided that the gas-tight zone extends substantially parallel to an edge of the substrate and is preferably disposed close to the edge of the substrate.

[0027] The construction according to the invention of a fuel cell unit is particularly suitable for so-called high-temperature fuel cell units, which have an operating temperature of up to 1000° C. and may be operated, without an external reformer, directly by a hydrocarbon-containing combustion gas such as e.g. methane or natural gas or, alternatively, with use of an external reformer, by a hydrocarbon-containing combustion gas, such as e.g. methane, natural gas, diesel or petrol fuel.

[0028] Claim 15 is directed towards a fuel cell unit stack, which comprises a plurality of fuel cell units according to the invention, which are arranged successively along a stacking direction.

[0029] Further features and advantages of the invention are the subject matter of the following description and representation of embodiments in the drawings.

[0030] The drawings show:

[0031]FIG. 1 a diagrammatic perspective view of a fuel cell apparatus with feed lines and discharge lines for the oxidant and the fuel gas;

[0032]FIG. 2 a diagrammatic vertical section through a fuel cell stack disposed in the housing of the fuel cell apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0033]FIG. 3 a plan view from above of end plates of the fuel cell stack of FIG. 2;

[0034]FIG. 4 a diagrammatic longitudinal section through a cathode-anode-electrolyte unit with adjoining contact plates;

[0035]FIG. 5 a diagrammatic plan view of a contact plate of a fuel cell unit;

[0036]FIG. 6 a diagrammatic plan view of a fluid-carrying frame of a fuel cell unit;

[0037]FIG. 7 the righthand part of a diagrammatic cross section through four fuel cell units arranged successively in the direction of stacking of the fuel cell stack;

[0038]FIG. 8 the righthand part of a diagrammatic longitudinal section through four fuel cell units, which are arranged successively along the direction of stacking of the fuel cell stack, in the region of a gas channel;

[0039]FIG. 9 the righthand part of a diagrammatic longitudinal section through four fuel cell units, which are arranged successively along the direction of stacking of the fuel cell stack, in the region between two gas channels;

[0040]FIG. 10 a diagrammatic perspective view of an annular support element of a fuel cell unit, which element surrounds a gas channel;

[0041]FIG. 11 an enlarged view of the region I of FIG. 7;

[0042]FIG. 12 a diagrammatic perspective exploded view of two fuel cell units arranged successively in stacking direction;

[0043]FIG. 13 a plan view of a housing of a fuel cell unit in the region of a gas through-opening in a second embodiment of the fuel cell unit, which has a plurality of support elements formed integrally with the housing walls;

[0044]FIG. 14 a diagrammatic section through the housing of the fuel cell unit of FIG. 13 along the line 14-14 in FIG. 13; and

[0045]FIG. 15 a diagrammatic section through the housing of the fuel cell unit of FIG. 13 along the line 15-15 in FIG. 13.

[0046] Identical or functionally equivalent elements are denoted by the same reference characters in all of the drawings.

[0047] A fuel cell apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 12 and denoted as a whole by 100 comprises a substantially cuboidal housing 102 (see FIG. 1), opening into which is an oxidant feed line 104, through which an oxidant, e.g. air or pure oxygen, is supplied at a pressure above atmospheric of e.g. approximately 50 mbar by a supply blower (not shown) to the interior of the housing 102.

[0048] Also opening into the housing 102 is an oxidant discharge line 105, through which excess oxidant is removable from the interior of the housing 102.

[0049] Disposed in the interior of the housing 102 is a fuel cell stack 106, which is illustrated as a whole in FIGS. 2 and 3 and comprises a bottom end plate 108, a middle top end plate 110, two lateral top end plates 111 and a plurality of fuel cell units 114, which are disposed between the bottom end plate 108 and the top end plates 110, 111 and arranged successively along a stacking direction 112.

[0050] As may best be seen from FIG. 12, which shows a perspective exploded view of two fuel cell units 114 arranged successively along the stacking direction 112, each of the fuel cell units 114 comprises a substantially plate-shaped cathode-anode-electrolyte unit 116 (hereinafter abbreviated to CAE-unit), which is held between a contact plate 118 and a fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0051] As is illustrated purely diagrammatically in FIG. 4, the CAE-unit 116 comprises a gas-permeable, electrically conductive substrate 121, which may take the form of e.g. a metal wire mesh, a metal wire fleece, a woven metal wire fabric, a knitted metal wire fabric or a porous body made of sintered or compressed metal particles, wherein a combustion gas from a combustion gas compartment 124 adjoining the substrate 121 may pass through the substrate 121.

[0052] The CAE-unit 116 further comprises a plate-shaped anode 122 disposed on the substrate 121 and made of an electrically conductive ceramic material, e.g. NiZrO₂ cermet (ceramic-metal mixture), which is porous, in order to enable the combustion gas from the combustion gas compartment 124 to pass through the anode 122 to the electrolyte 126 adjoining the anode 122.

[0053] As a combustion gas it is possible to use e.g. a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture or pure hydrogen.

[0054] The electrolyte 126 preferably takes the form of a solid electrolyte and is formed e.g. from yttrium-stabilized zirconium dioxide.

[0055] Adjoining the electrolyte 126 at its opposite side to the anode 122 is a plate-shaped cathode 128, which is formed from an electrically conductive ceramic material, e.g. from LaMnO₃, and is porous in order to enable an oxidant, e.g. air or pure oxygen, from an oxidant compartment 130 adjoining the cathode 128 to pass through to the electrolyte 126.

[0056] The electrolyte 126 is substantially gas-tight, with the result that no oxidant from the oxidant compartment 130 may pass through the electrolyte 126 into the combustion gas compartment 124 and no combustion gas from the combustion gas chamber 124 may pass through the electrolyte 126 into the oxidant compartment 130.

[0057] During operation of the fuel cell apparatus the CAE-unit 116 of each fuel cell unit 114 has a temperature of e.g. approximately 850° C., at which the electrolyte 126 is conductive for oxygen ions. The oxidant from the oxidant compartment 130 picks up electrons at the anode 122 and releases bivalent oxygen ions to the electrolyte 126, which migrate through the electrolyte 126 to the anode 122. At the anode 122 the combustion gas from the combustion gas compartment 124 is oxidized by the oxygen ions from the electrolyte 126 and in said case releases electrons to the anode 122.

[0058] The contact plates 118 are used to remove the electrons, which are released during the reaction at the anode 122, from the anode 122 via the substrate 121 and/or to supply the electrons, which are needed for the reaction at the cathode 128, to the cathode 128.

[0059] For said purpose, each of the contact plates 118 comprises an electrically highly conductive metal sheet, which (as may best be seen from FIG. 5) is provided with a plurality of contact elements 132, which take the form of e.g. ribs extending in longitudinal direction 133 of the contact plate 118 and arranged successively in transverse direction 131 of the contact plate 118, wherein the contact elements 132 arranged successively in transverse direction 131 lie immediately adjacent to one another and project from the centre plane 139 of the contact plate 118 alternately towards different sides of the contact plate 118. The anode-side contact elements projecting upwards from the contact plate 118 and hence towards the anode 122 of the CAE-unit 116 belonging to the same fuel cell unit 114 are denoted by the reference character 132 a, while the cathode-side contact elements projecting downwards from the contact plate 118 and hence towards the cathode 128 of the CAE-unit 116 belonging to an adjacent fuel cell unit 114 are denoted by the reference character 132 b.

[0060] Each of the contact elements 132 has a middle, strip-shaped contact region 137 where it is in electrically conductive contact with an adjoining CAE-unit 116 (see, in particular, FIG. 4 and FIG. 7).

[0061] The contact regions 137 of the anode-side contact elements 132 a of a contact plate 118 are in electrical surface contact with the substrate 121 and hence with the anode 122 of the CAE-unit 116 belonging to the same fuel cell unit 114, with the result that electrons may pass from the respective anode 122 into the contact plate 118.

[0062] The cathode-side contact elements 132 b of the contact plates 118 are in electrically conductive surface contact in each case with the cathode 128 of the CAE-unit 116 belonging to an adjacent fuel cell unit 114, with the result that electrons may pass from the contact plate 118 to the cathode 128. In said manner, the contact plates 118 enable balancing of the charge between the anodes 122 and the cathodes 128 of CAE-units 116 arranged successively along the stacking direction 112.

[0063] The contact plates 118 disposed at the ends of the fuel cell stack 106 are connected (in a manner not shown in the drawings) to an external current circuit for tapping the electric charges arising at said continuous-edge contact plates 118.

[0064] The contact bank 134 formed by the contact elements 132 of each contact plate 118 has the structure of a corrugated sheet corrugated in transverse direction 131 of the contact plate 118.

[0065] As may best be seen from the plan view of FIG. 5, the middle, substantially rectangular contact bank 134 of each contact plate 118 provided with the contact elements 132 is embedded in a flat, substantially rectangular gas-carrying region 136 of the contact plate 118.

[0066] The gas-carrying region 136 has, on either side of the contact bank 134, a lateral region 140 a and/or 140 b.

[0067] In the lateral region 140 a a plurality of, e.g. two, substantially circular combustion gas through-openings 142 are formed.

[0068] Each of the combustion gas through-openings 142 is surrounded by an annular edge region 144, wherein each of the regions 142 is offset downwards in stacking direction 112 relative to the gas-carrying region 136 and connected to the gas-carrying region 136 by a bevel 146, which at an inner bending line 148 adjoins the respective edge region 144 and along an outer bending line 150 adjoins the gas-carrying region 136.

[0069] The combustion gas through-openings 142 are used to allow combustion gas, which is to be supplied to the fuel cell units 114, to pass through the respective contact plate 118.

[0070] The opposite side region 140 b of each contact plate 118 to the side region 140 a is provided with a plurality of, e.g. three, substantially circular waste gas through-openings 152.

[0071] Each of the waste gas through-openings 152 is surrounded by an annular edge region 154, which is offset downwards in stacking direction 112 relative to the gas-carrying region 136 of the contact plate 118 and connected to the gas-carrying region 136 by a bevel 156, which at an inner bending line 158 adjoins the edge region 154 and along an outer bending line 160 adjoins the gas-carrying region 136 (see in particular FIG. 8).

[0072] The waste gas through-openings 152 of the contact plate 118 allow waste gas, which is to be removed from the fuel cell units 114 and contains excess combustion gas and combustion products, especially water, to pass through the contact plate 118.

[0073] Each contact plate 118 is further provided with an edge region 162, which surrounds the gas-carrying region 136, is aligned at right angles to the stacking direction 112, is offset upwards in stacking direction 112 relative to the gas-carrying region 136 and is connected to the gas-carrying region 136 by a bevel 164, which along an inner bending line 166 adjoins the gas-carrying region 136 and along an outer bending line 168 adjoins the edge region 162.

[0074] The outer edge of the edge region 162 is provided with a connecting flange 170, which along a bending line 172 adjoins the edge region 162 and which extends downwards from the edge region 162 substantially parallel to the stacking direction 112.

[0075] The outer surface, which is aligned substantially parallel to the stacking direction 112, of the connecting flange 170 forms a first connecting surface 174.

[0076] Each of the contact plates 118 takes the form of a shaped sheet metal part, which is formed from a substantially flat, substantially rectangular sheet of metal by embossing and/or deep-drawing as well as by punching or cutting out the combustion gas through-openings 142 and the waste gas through-openings 152.

[0077] The fluid-carrying frames 120 are likewise shaped sheet metal parts formed from a substantially flat, substantially rectangular sheet of metal.

[0078] As may best be seen from FIG. 6, each fluid-carrying frame 120 has a substantially rectangular central through-opening 176 to allow the CAE-unit 116 of the same fuel cell unit 114 to pass through.

[0079] Said through-opening 176 is surrounded by a substantially flat gas-carrying region 178, which is aligned at right angles to the stacking direction 112 and comprises two lateral regions 180 a, 180 b, which lie on opposite sides of the through-opening 176.

[0080] Formed in the lateral region 180 a is a plurality of, e.g. two, substantially circular combustion gas through-openings 182, which allow combustion gas to pass through the fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0081] Formed in the opposite lateral region 180 b of the gas-carrying region 178 to the lateral region 180 a is a plurality of, e.g. three, substantially circular waste gas through-openings 184 which allow waste gas, which is to be removed from the fuel cell units 114, to pass through the fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0082] The gas-carrying region 178 of each fluid-carrying frame 120 is provided at its outer edge with a connecting flange 186, which along a bending line 188 adjoins the gas-carrying region 178 and which extends downwards from the gas-carrying region 178 substantially parallel to the stacking direction 112.

[0083] The inside, which is aligned substantially parallel to the stacking direction 112, of the connecting flange 186 forms a second connecting surface 190.

[0084] In each case, one fluid-carrying frame 120 and one contact plate 118 together form a housing 192 of a fuel cell unit 114.

[0085] As may be seen from FIGS. 7 to 9, the fluid-carrying frame 120 and the contact plate 118 of such a housing 192 of a fuel cell unit 114 are fastened to one another and sealed in a gas-tight manner against one another at their connecting flanges 186 and 170 respectively.

[0086] In said case, the connecting flange 186, which is aligned substantially parallel to the stacking direction 112, of the fluid-carrying frame 120 encompasses the connecting flange 170, which is likewise aligned substantially parallel to the stacking direction 112, of the contact plate 118 in such a way that the first connecting surface on the connecting flange 170 of the contact plate 118 and the second connecting surface 190 on the connecting flange 186 of the fluid-carrying frame 120 face one another.

[0087] As may be seen from FIGS. 7 to 9, the bottom edge 194 and the second connecting surface 190 of the connecting flange 186 of the fluid-carrying frame 120 are connected by means of a weld seam 196 to the first connecting surface 174 and to the bottom edge 198 of the connecting flange 170 of the contact plate 118 and are therefore fastened to the connecting flange 170 of the contact plate 118.

[0088] In said case, the weld seam 196 running round along the edges of the contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 ensures a gas-tight sealing of the space between the connecting flanges 186 and 170.

[0089] The weld seam 196 may be produced e.g. by laser welding or using an electron-beam method.

[0090] Instead of or in addition to a connection by welding, the connection between the connecting flanges 186 and 170 may be effected by soldering, in particular by hard-soldering.

[0091] By virtue of the fact that the connecting flanges 186 and 170 and, in particular, the opposing connecting surfaces 174 and 190 are aligned parallel to the stacking direction 112, the contact plate 118 is accommodated with a kind of close sliding fit in the fluid-carrying frame 120, with the result that the connecting flanges 186 and 170 may be connected in a gas-tight manner to one another without difficulty even if, as a result of manufacturing tolerances upon manufacture of the contact plate 118 and fluid-carrying frame 120 or assembly tolerances upon assembly of the fuel cell unit 114, the clearance between the bottom edges 194 and 198 along the stacking direction 112 varies along the edge of the contact plate 118 and along the edge of the fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0092] As may best be seen from FIG. 8, in the region of the waste gas through-openings 152, 184 annular support elements 200 are disposed, which lie with their underside 202 in each case against the top side of an edge region 154 surrounding a waste gas through-opening 152 of a contact plate 118 and with their top side 204 in each case against the underside of the region of the fluid-carrying frame 120 surrounding a waste gas through-opening 184 in the fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0093] Similar support elements 200, which differ only in their dimensions from the support elements 200 at the waste gas through-openings 152, 184, are disposed between the contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 in the region of the combustion gas through-openings 142, 182.

[0094]FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of such a support element 200, which is in the shape of a ring with a substantially rectangular cross section. To enable gas to pass from the inside to the outside of the support element 200 (or in the opposite direction), the support element 200 is provided with radially aligned, substantially cylindrical gas through-channels 210, which penetrate the support element 200 from its inside 206 to its outside 208 and are spaced apart from one another in peripheral direction of the support element 200.

[0095] The support elements 200 are used to hold the contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 of a housing 192 of a fuel cell unit 114 at a distance from one another and hence prevent the housing 192 from buckling under the clamping force, which acts upon the housing 192 during assembly of the fuel cell stack 106.

[0096] At the operating temperature of the fuel cell apparatus 100, which in the case of a high-temperature fuel cell apparatus lies in the range of approximately 800° C. to approximately 1000° C., the supporting action of the support elements 200 plays a special part because at such operating temperatures the yield strength of the steel used to form the contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 drops to values of less than approximately 10 N/mm² so that, without the support elements 200, even low clamping forces would be enough to press the contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 of a housing 192 towards one another.

[0097] The support elements 200 may be formed from a metal material or from a ceramic material.

[0098] Instead of a solid support element with gas through-channels 210, it is possible to use a support element in the form of a porous sintered element made of a ceramic and/or a metal material. Because such a sintered element, by virtue of its porosity, is already sufficiently permeable to gas, such an element need not be provided with gas through-channels.

[0099] As may best be seen from FIGS. 8 and 12, disposed between the underside of the edge region 154 of each waste gas through-opening 152 in a contact plate 118 and the top side of the gas-carrying region 178 of the fluid-carrying frame 120—disposed in stacking direction 112 below the relevant contact plate 118—of an adjacent fuel cell unit 114 there is in each case a gas channel seal 212. Each of the gas channel seals 212 seals off the space between the adjacent contact plate 118 and the adjacent fluid-carrying frame 120 in a gas-tight manner and surrounds the respective waste gas through-opening 152, 184 in the contact plate 118 and/or in the fluid-carrying frame 120 in an annular manner.

[0100] As may best be seen from FIG. 8, the contact plates 118 and fluid-carrying frames 120 arranged successively in stacking direction 112 and having the support elements 200 and gas channel seals 212 disposed in each case between them delimit a plurality of, e.g. three, waste gas channels 214, into which waste gas from the combustion gas compartments 124 of the fuel cell units 114 may pass via the gas through-channels 210 in the support elements 200 and which are separated by the gas channel seals 212 in a gas-tight manner from the oxidant compartments 130 of the fuel cell units 114.

[0101] In a corresponding manner, gas channel seals 212 are disposed between the edge regions 144 of the combustion gas through-openings 142 of each contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 of a fuel cell unit 114 disposed in stacking direction 112 below the relevant contact plate 118 and surround the combustion gas through-openings 142 and 182 in the contact plate 118 and/or in the fluid-carrying frame 120 in an annular manner, with the result that the contact plates 118 and fluid-carrying frames 120 arranged successively in stacking direction 112, together with the support elements 200 and gas channel seals 212 disposed in each case between them, form a plurality of, e.g. two, combustion gas channels 216, which extend along the stacking direction 112 and from which combustion gas may pass via the gas through-channels 210 in the support elements 200 into the combustion gas compartments 124 of the fuel cell units 114 and which are separated by the gas channel seals 212 in a gas-tight manner from the oxidant compartments 130 of the fuel cell units 114.

[0102] The gas channel seals 112 may comprise e.g. in each case a flat packing of mica, in particular of phlogopite.

[0103] Alternatively or additionally it may be provided that the gas channel seals 212 comprise in each case a gas-tight, electrically insulating coating, which is applied as a paste by a screen printing or roller coating technique onto the surface of the contact plate 118 or onto the surface of the fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0104] The combustion gas compartment 124 of each fuel cell unit 114 is moreover separated in a gas-tight manner from the oxidant compartment 130 of a fuel cell unit 114, which is disposed in stacking direction 112 above it, by means of a combustion gas compartment seal 218, the construction of which is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 11.

[0105] As may be seen from FIG. 11, the substrate 121 of the CAE-unit 116 has a compressed outer region 220, which extends along the entire circumference of the substrate 121 and in which the thickness of the substrate 121 has been reduced by a compression operation to e.g. roughly 20% of the initial thickness, i.e. the thickness of the non-compressed region of the substrate 121.

[0106] During said compression operation the porosity of the substrate 121, i.e. the percentage of the gas-filled volume of the substrate 121 of the total volume of the substrate 121, is reduced to almost zero in the compressed outer region 220.

[0107] In order to achieve this, in a substrate 121 having a porosity of x %, the thickness in the compressed outer region 220 is reduced by the compression operation preferably to (100−x) % of the initial thickness; in the case of a porosity of 80%, therefore, to 20% of the initial thickness.

[0108] The substrate 121 is laid with the underside 222 of the compressed outer region 220 on the fluid-carrying frame 120 and connected in a gas-tight manner to the metal material of the fluid-carrying frame 121 by a welding operation, e.g. by laser welding, electron-beam welding, projection welding or capacitor discharge welding.

[0109] The welding operation leads, in the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 121, to the formation of a no longer porous, gas-tight zone 224, which extends from the underside 222 to the top side 226 of the compressed outer region 220 through the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 121 and forms a gas-tight barrier, which extends along the entire circumference of the substrate 121 and prevents gas from passing from the edge region 228 situated outside of the gas-tight zone 224 into the inner region 230 of the substrate 121 enclosed by the gas-tight zone 224 and also prevents gas from passing through in the opposite direction.

[0110] Instead of welding the substrate 121 to the fluid-carrying frame 120, the gas-tight zone 224 in the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 221 may alternatively be formed by soldering the substrate 121 to the fluid-carrying frame 120. In said case, because of the capillary action, the solder used is sucked into the remaining pores and through-channels in the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 121 and permanently seals said through-openings, thereby creating a gas-tight zone 224 extending over the entire height of the compressed outer region 220.

[0111] As may further be seen from FIG. 11, the gas-tight electrolyte 126 of the CAE-unit 116 extends beyond the edge of the gas-permeable anode 122 and beyond the edge of the gas-permeable cathode 128 and rests with its underside directly on the top side 226 of the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 121.

[0112] Said outer region 232 of the electrolyte 126 resting directly on the substrate 121 extends so far out towards the edge of the substrate 121 that it overlaps the gas-tight zone 224 and so the inner region 230 of the substrate 121 is separated in a gas-tight manner from the oxidant compartment 130 situated above the electrolyte 126, without an additional sealing medium being required for said gas-tight separation.

[0113] The outer region 232 of the electrolyte 126 together with the gas-tight zone 224 of the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 121 therefore forms a gas-tight combustion gas compartment seal 218, which separates the oxidant compartment 130 disposed above the fluid-carrying frame 120 in a gas-tight manner from the combustion gas compartment 124 disposed below the fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0114] In the form of construction of the combustion gas compartment seal 218 illustrated in FIG. 11, said seal is formed in the region between the outer edge of the anode 122 and the gas-tight zone 224 of the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 121 by the outer region 232 of the electrolyte 126 extending beyond the anode 122.

[0115] Alternatively or additionally it may be provided that the combustion gas compartment seal 218 comprises a sealing region, which is formed by a setting compound and overlaps the region from the outer edge of the anode 122 to the gas-tight zone 224 in a gas-tight manner.

[0116] Such a setting compound may comprise e.g. a glass solder, a metal solder or an inorganic paste.

[0117] When the combustion gas compartment seal 218 comprises both an electrolyte 126 extended to a point beyond the gas-tight zone 224 as well as a setting compound overlapping said outer region 232 of the electrolyte 126, a particularly efficient and reliable sealing of the combustion gas compartment 124 relative to the oxidant compartment 130 is achieved thereby.

[0118] As may be seen in particular from FIG. 7, in the assembled state of a fuel cell unit 114 the CAE-unit 116 of the relevant fuel cell unit 114 is supported by the substrate 121 on the anode-side contact elements 132 a of the contact plate 118 of the fuel cell unit 114.

[0119] The CAE-unit 116 is further supported by the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 121 on the fluid-carrying frame 120 of the same fuel cell unit 114, while the non-compressed region of the substrate 121 extends through the through-opening 176 of the fluid-carrying frame 120, the substrate 121 is fastened by welding or soldering to the fluid-carrying frame 120, and the fluid-carrying frame 120 is fastened to the contact plate 118 by welding at the weld seam 196 or by soldering of its connecting flange 186 to the connecting flange 170 of the contact plate 118.

[0120] The fuel cell units 114 of the fuel cell stack 106 are stacked in stacking direction 112 one above the other in such a way that the cathode-side contact elements 132 b of each contact plate 118 extend towards, and are in electrically conducting contact with, the cathode of the CAE-unit 116 of the fuel cell unit 114 situated below.

[0121] In said case, the combustion gas through-openings 142, 182 and the waste gas through-openings 152, 184 of, in stacking direction 112, successive fuel cell units 114 are mutually aligned so as to form the combustion gas channels 216 and the waste gas channels 214 respectively.

[0122] As may be seen from FIG. 2, opening into each combustion gas channel 216 at the bottom end thereof is a combustion gas feed opening 234, which penetrates the bottom end plate 108 of the fuel cell stack 106 coaxially with the respective combustion gas channel 216.

[0123] Connected to the end of the combustion gas feed opening 234 remote from the respective combustion gas channel 216 is a combustion gas branch line 236, which branches off from a combustion gas feed line 238, which extends in a gas-tight manner through the housing of the fuel cell apparatus 100 and is connected to a combustion gas supply (not shown), which supplies a combustion gas, e.g. a hydrocarbon-containing gas or pure hydrogen, at a pressure above atmospheric of e.g. approximately 50 mbar to the combustion gas feed line 238.

[0124] The waste gas channels 214 of the fuel cell stack 106 open out at their top ends in each case into a waste gas discharge opening 240 (see FIG. 3), which is coaxial with the relevant waste gas channel 214, penetrates the lateral top end plate 111 and is connected at its end remote from the respective waste gas channel 214 in each case to a waste gas branch line 242.

[0125] Said waste gas branch lines 242 open out into a common waste gas discharge line 244 (see FIG. 1), which extends in a gas-tight manner through the housing 102 of the fuel cell apparatus 100 and is connected to a waste gas treatment unit (not shown).

[0126] During operation of the fuel cell apparatus 100 the combustion gas flows through the combustion gas feed line 238, the combustion gas branch lines 236 and the combustion gas feed openings 234 into the two combustion gas channels 216, from where it is distributed through the gas through-channels 210 of the combustion gas channel-side support elements 200 to the combustion gas compartments 124 of the fuel cell units 114, which are enclosed in each case by the contact plate 118, the fluid-carrying frame 120 and the CAE-unit 116 of the relevant fuel cell unit 114.

[0127] As already described, the combustion gas is at least partially oxidized at the anode 122 of the respective CAE-unit 116 delimiting the respective combustion gas compartment 124.

[0128] The oxidation product (water) passes together with excess combustion gas from the combustion compartments 124 of the fuel cell units 114 through the gas through-channels 210 of the waste gas channel-side support elements 200 into the three waste gas channels 214, from which it is removed through the waste gas discharge openings 240, the waste gas branch lines 242 and the waste gas discharge line 244 to the waste gas treatment unit (not shown).

[0129] By virtue of the fact that the number of waste gas channels 214 is greater than the number of combustion gas channels 216, a particularly uniform sweeping of the combustion gas compartments 124 between the rib-shaped contact elements 132 is achieved and the flow resistance during sweeping of the contact bank 134 is reduced.

[0130] In the waste gas treatment unit, for example, the reaction product (water) is separated from the waste gas flow and excess combustion gas is conveyed to the combustion gas supply in order to be supplied once more to the fuel cell apparatus 100.

[0131] The oxidant (e.g. air or pure oxygen) needed to operate the fuel cell apparatus 100 is supplied to the interior of the housing 102 through the oxidant feed line 104.

[0132] In the interior of the housing 102 the oxidant is distributed to the oxidant compartments 130, which are formed between the combustion gas compartments 124 of the fuel cell units 114 and enclosed in each case by a contact plate 118 of one fuel cell unit 114 as well as by the fluid-carrying frame 120 and the cathode 128 of the CAE-unit 116 of an adjacent fuel cell unit 114.

[0133] The oxidant passes into the oxidant compartments and back out again through the spaces between, in each case, a fluid-carrying frame 120 of one fuel cell unit 114 and the contact plate 118 of the next fuel cell unit 114 in stacking direction 112, provided that said spaces are not overlapped by the support elements 200, which surround the combustion gas channels 216 and/or the waste gas channels 214.

[0134] As already described, oxygen ions are formed from the oxidant at the cathodes 128 of the CAE-units 116 of the fuel cell units 114 and migrate through the electrolytes 126 to the anodes 122 of the CAE-units 116 of the fuel cell units 114.

[0135] Excess oxidant passes out of the oxidant compartments 130 of the fuel cell units 114 at the opposite side to the oxidant inlet side and is removed from the interior of the housing 102 of the fuel cell apparatus 100 via the oxidant discharge line 105.

[0136] The direction of flow of the combustion gas and of the waste gas through the fuel cell apparatus 100 is indicated in the drawings by means of single arrows 246, the direction of flow of the oxidant through the fuel cell apparatus 100 is indicated by means of double arrows 248.

[0137] The direction of flow of the oxidant through the oxidant compartments 130 is substantially parallel to the direction of flow of the combustion gas through the combustion gas compartments 124.

[0138] In order to fasten the fuel cell units 114, which are arranged successively along the stacking direction 112, to one another by external bracing, a plurality of connecting screws 250 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) are provided, which penetrate through-bores 252 in the middle top end plate 110 of the fuel cell stack 106 and are each provided at the end remote from the screw head 254 with an external thread 256, which is screwed into a tapped bore 258 in the bottom end plate 108 of the fuel cell stack 106, so that the middle top end plate 110 and the bottom end plate 108 are braced towards one another by the connecting screws 250 and a desired pressing force is transferable via the end plates 108, 110 to the middle region, comprising the contact banks 134, of the stack of fuel cell units 114 (see FIG. 2).

[0139] A plurality of connecting screws 260 are further provided, which penetrate through-bores 262 in the lateral top end plates 111 of the fuel cell stack 106 and are each provided at the end remote from the screw head 264 with an external thread 266, which is screwed into a tapped bore 268 in the bottom end plate 108, so that the lateral top end plates 111 and the bottom end plate 108 are braced towards one another by the connecting screws 260 and a desired pressing force is transferable via the end plates 108, 111 in the region of the combustion gas channels 216 and/or the waste gas channels 214 to the stack of fuel cell units 114.

[0140] The pressing force generated by the external bracing by means of the connecting screws 250 and the middle top end plate 110 determines the pressure, with which the contact elements 132 are pressed against the substrate 121 and/or against the cathode 128 of the adjoining CAE-unit 116.

[0141] On the other hand, the pressure, with which the support elements 200 and the gas channel seals 212 are pressed against the contact plates 118 and the fluid-carrying frames 120, is determined—independently of the bracing by means of the connecting screws 250 and the middle top end plate 110—exclusively by the external preloading force, with which the lateral top end plates 111 are braced by means of the connecting screws 260 against the bottom end plate 108.

[0142] The previously described fuel cell stack 106 is assembled as follows:

[0143] First, the individual fuel cell units 114 are assembled in that, in each case, a substrate 121 is laid by its compressed outer region 220 onto a fluid-carrying frame 120 and fastened in the previously described manner by welding or soldering to the fluid-carrying frame 120, with simultaneous formation of a gas-tight zone 224 in the compressed outer region 220. Then the anode 122, the electrolyte 126 and the cathode 128 of the CAE-unit 116 are produced, e.g. by plasma spraying, on the substrate 121, wherein the electrolyte 126 is produced in such a way that it overlaps the gas-tight zone 224 in the compressed outer region 220 of the substrate 121 in a gas-tight manner in order to produce the combustion gas compartment seal 218.

[0144] The contact plate 118 of the fuel cell unit 114 is then brought into abutment with the side of the substrate 121 remote from the CAE-unit 116, and the connecting flange 170 of the contact plate 118 is connected in a gas-tight manner by welding or soldering to the connecting flange 186 of the fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0145] The fuel cell stack 106 is then assembled from the individual fuel cell units 114 in that the desired number of fuel cell units 114 are stacked along the stacking direction 112 and the fuel cell units 114 are fixed in position relative to one another by means of the end plates 108, 110, 111 and the connecting screws 250, 260, which brace the end plates against one another.

[0146] A second form of construction of a fuel cell apparatus 100, which is illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15, differs from the previously described first form of construction only in that support elements 200′, which are disposed between the contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 of the same fuel cell unit 114 and hence prevent a collapse of the housing 192 of the fuel cell unit 114 under the pressure, with which the lateral top end plates 111 and the bottom end plate 108 are braced against one another, are not separate components but are instead formed integrally with the contact plate 118 and/or with the fluid-carrying frame 120.

[0147] As may be seen from FIGS. 13 and 14, a plurality of, e.g. ten, support elements 200′ are disposed around each waste gas channel 214 and spaced apart from one another in peripheral direction of the waste gas channel 214 so that the waste gas from the combustion gas compartment 124 of the relevant fuel cell unit 114 may pass into the waste gas channel 214 through the spaces between the support elements 200′, which form gas passages 269.

[0148] As may best be seen from the sectional view of FIG. 14, each of the support elements 200′ comprises a top part 270 and a bottom part 272, wherein the bottom part 272 is formed integrally with the contact plate 118 and comprises an edge region of the contact plate 118 projecting into the waste gas through-opening 152, which edge region by being bent through 180° along a bending line 274 has been doubled back onto the edge region 154 of the contact plate 118.

[0149] The top part 270 of the support element 200′ is formed integrally with the fluid-carrying frame 120 and comprises an edge region of the fluid-carrying frame 120 projecting into the waste gas through-opening 184, which edge region has been bent along a first bending line 276 through 180° back onto the gas-carrying region 178 and then bent along a second bending line 278 through 180° back onto itself.

[0150] The top part 270 of the support element 200′ therefore comprises two superimposed layers, wherein the bottom layer 280 lies with its underside flat against the top side of the bottom part 272 of the support element 200′.

[0151] The total of three sheet metal layers of the support element 200′ therefore form a solid metal body, which is substantially incapable of being further compressed by the pressing forces acting upon the gas channel seals 212 and the support elements 200′ and therefore holds the contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 at a distance from one another in the region of the waste gas channel 214 and prevents a collapse of the housing 192 of the fuel cell unit 114.

[0152] Support elements corresponding to the previously described support elements 200′ are also disposed in the region of the combustion gas channels 216 between the contact plate 118 and the fluid-carrying frame 120 of the same fuel cell unit 114.

[0153] Otherwise, the second form of construction of a fuel cell apparatus 100 is identical in construction and function to the first form of construction and, in said respect, reference is made to the above description of said first form of construction. 

1. Fuel cell unit, comprising a housing, a substrate and an electrode disposed on an electrode side of the substrate, wherein the substrate is constructed in such a way that it allows a gas from a gas compartment disposed on a gas compartment side of the substrate to pass through to the electrode, wherein the substrate comprises at least one substantially gas-tight zone, which extends from one surface of the substrate, through the substrate to an opposite surface of the substrate.
 2. Fuel cell unit according to claim 1, wherein the gas-tight zone of the substrate adjoins the housing in a gas-tight manner.
 3. Fuel cell unit according to claim 2, wherein the housing comprises a shaped sheet metal part and the gas-tight zone adjoins the shaped sheet metal part.
 4. Fuel cell unit according to claim 3, wherein the shaped sheet metal part forms a fluid-carrying element of the fuel cell unit.
 5. Fuel cell unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one housing part manufactured by a cutting operation and the gas-tight zone adjoins said housing part in a gas-tight manner.
 6. Fuel cell unit according to claim 2, wherein the gas-tight zone of the substrate is fixed to the housing.
 7. Fuel cell unit according to claim 6, wherein the gas-tight zone of the substrate is fixed by welding, preferably by laser welding, and/or by soldering, preferably by hard-soldering, to the housing.
 8. Fuel cell unit according to claim 2, wherein the fuel cell unit comprises a substantially gas-tight electrolyte disposed above the electrode and the gas-tight zone of the substrate at its opposite side to the housing adjoins the electrolyte in a gas-tight manner.
 9. Fuel cell unit according to claim 8, wherein the fuel cell unit comprises a sealing region made of a setting compound, which adjoins the electrolyte and the substrate in a gas-tight manner.
 10. Fuel cell unit according to claim 2, wherein the fuel cell unit comprises a substantially gas-tight electrolyte disposed above the electrode and the fuel cell unit further comprises a sealing region, which in a gas-tight manner adjoins the electrolyte and in a gas-tight manner adjoins the gas-tight zone of the substrate at its opposite side to the housing.
 11. Fuel cell unit according to claim 9, wherein the sealing region comprises a substantially gas-tight setting compound.
 12. Fuel cell unit according to claim 1, wherein the gas-tight zone is formed in a compressed region of the substrate.
 13. Fuel cell unit according to claim 1, wherein the gas-tight zone is of an annular, closed construction.
 14. Fuel cell unit according to claim 13, wherein the gas-tight zone encloses a gas-permeable region of the substrate.
 15. Fuel cell unit according to claim 1, wherein the gas-tight zone extends substantially parallel to an edge of the substrate.
 16. Fuel cell stack, comprising a plurality of fuel cell units according to claim 1, which are arranged successively along a stacking direction. 